Imperial Valley News

Hollywood, California - Out on Home Video - by Lisa Miller: Fast & Furious, Life on Mars, Miss March, Dragonball Evolution, Big Man Japan, Knight Rider, Transformers, 12 Monkeys:

Fast & Furious: Special Edition, DVD or Blu-Ray (2009) Directed by Justin Lin
Starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, John Ortiz, Jordana Brewster, Tego Calderon, Laz Alonso, Shea Whigham, Gal Gadot - Universal/Rated PG-13 /Action/107 minutes.

A sequel to 2001's "The Fast and The Furious," the similarly titled four-quel refuels the franchise by returning its four main stars, and picking up its most compelling storyline. As the film opens, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), are stealing the fuel tanks from a truck-train rocketing along a narrow mountain road. Loyalties will be tested when Dominic and FBI agent Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) team up to defeat an evil druglord, but the real focus is on fast cars going faster. To infiltrate the druglord's organization, Dom and O'Conner must prove themselves as drivers of the first order. The task generates the film's only race, an exciting GPS-driven chase around Echo Park, Silver Lake and downtown Los Angeles. Vin Diesel's softly booming voice conveys Dom's sense of honor and duty. He inspired O'Conner to protect outlaw Dom and Dom's sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), while doing his best to uphold the spirit of the law while breaking every rule in the book. What viewers expect and get are fast cars pushed to the limit and tough customers putting everything on the line. This fourth chapter earns our respect with original set pieces and clever stunts. Not just for car fanatics, "Fast & Furious" pulls a fast one and we like it.

Life on Mars: Series 1 (2006) Created by Mathew Graham, Tony Jordan, Ashley Pharoah, Starring John Simm, Philip Glenister, Liz White - Acorn Media/Not Rated/Fantasy/466 minutes.

Following an accident, present day British Police Detective Sam Tyler (Simm) awakens in 1973. Just 4-years-old his first time around in 1973, Sam's in for a shock when he discovers that a police detective job accompanies his new life. Crime solving remains a low-tech affair that necessitates much pavement-pounding. Meanwhile, voices in Sam's head indicate he's alive and most likely comatose back in 2006. He's on the alert for a present day serial killer who became active in 1973, but Sam's ability to focus is hampered by the era's old-boyism and when his mind is blown by an encounter with his parents of 1973. The crimes and the mystery of Sam's present day condition keep things lively, though Sam's evolving story arc is more predictable than I'd hoped. The ultimate flattery for this BBC series occurred when it was remade in 2008 for American television. 4-Disc DVD features: Director's Episode Commentaries, Bonus Footage, Behind the Scenes, cast/Crew Interviews, Interview Clip Bharat Nalluri, Documentary: Take A Look At The Lawman, Featurettes: The Music of Life on Mars, Get Sykes - Production Designer, Outtakes Reel, DD 2.0 English language tracks, widescreen.

Miss March: Rated or Fully Exposed Unrated Cut, DVD or Blu-Ray (2009) Directed by Zach Cregger Trevor Moore, Starring Zach Cregger, Trevor Moore, Craig Robinson, Raquel Alessi, Holly Hindman, Molly Stanton, Hugh Hefner - Fox/Rated R or Unrated/Comedy/94 minutes.

Seeking to hook up with his high school sweetheart, Eugene (Cregger) hopes Playboy's Miss March has fond memories of their high school romance - cut short by an accident leaving Eugene in a coma. He awakens four years later to learn that Cindi (Alessi), now playmate of the month, is the guest of honor at a party thrown by old Hef himself. Though Eugene hasn't regained his motor skills, he is shoved into the car by his best bud (Moore) for a road trip to the mansion. It's too bad the film didn't work out better for Cregger and Moore whose comedy videos on YouTube won them this gig. DVD features: both the theatrical and unrated versions of the film, Featurettes: Viral Videos, Timmy's Audition, Darren's Audition, Down and Dirty Music Featurette Censored Version, Forced Trailers, DD 5.1 English or French language tracks, Spanish subtitles, widescreen. Blu-Ray features same plus: Added Featurettes: Sam's Audition, Lesbians Audition Digital Copy, DTS HD Master Audio English, DD 5.1 French language tracks, Spanish subtitles.

Dragonball Evolution: Z Edition, DVD or Blu-Ray (2009) Directed by James Wong, Starring Yun-Fat Chow, Emmy Rossum, James Marsters, Justin Chatwin, Ernie Hudson, Randall Duk Kim - Fox/Rated PG/Fantasy/85 minutes.

Chow Yun-Fat brings humor to the role of Roshi, guide and protector of Goku (Chatwin), earth's young savior. "Dragonball," adapted from the graphic novel series by Akira Toriyama, attempts to broaden the manga-anime fanbase with this whiz-bang fantasy. Goku is an alien charged with collecting seven mystical balls to protect mankind. He becomes locked in a fierce battle for control of the artifacts with Lord Piccolo (Marsters), an evil conqueror intent on destroying Earth. While Chatwin, 28, wears the character's funny hair comfortably, he fails to persuade as an 18-year-old. Yun-Fat's Roshi doles out sage advice while providing martial arts expertise, effectively functioning as the film's resident Yoda. DVD features: deleted scenes, Featurettes: Goku's Workout, Fox Movie Channel Presents: Making a Scene, Fox Movie Channel Presents: Life After Film School with Justin Chatwin, "Worked Up" music video, Forced Trailers and Trailer Farm, DD 5.1 English or DD SS French or Spanish language tracks, widescreen. Blu-Ray features same plus: Goku's Quest Game, Digital Copy, DD 5.1 or DTS HD Master Audio English or DD 5.1 French or Spanish language tracks.

Big Man Japan (2009) Directed by Hitoshi Matsumoto, Starring Hitoshi Matsumoto, Riki Takeuchi, Itsuji Itao, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Ua - Magnolia/Rated PG-13/Fantasy, Comedy, In Japanese, with English subtitles//113 minutes.

Stand-up comedian, Hitoshi Matsumoto, writes, directs and stars in this mockumentary casting him as two different people. Dai Nipponjin's every day persona is that of a normal man, but with the help of electric shocks, he grows into giant monster fighter. The enormous size is necessary to take down a half-dozen plasticine creatures (played by over-costumed actors) routinely invading Tokyo. The vast majority of the film consists of interviews with his regular persona as Dai Nipponjin recounts his sacrifices for an unappreciative public. The film's lackluster execution strays far off course during a final act that is both silly and unfunny. DVD features: director commentary, deleted scenes, making-of w/commentary, Photo Gallery, DD 2.0 or DD 5.1 Japanese language tracks, English or Spanish subtitles, widescreen.

Knight Rider: Season 1 (2008) Created by Glen A. Larson, Starring Val Kilmer, Deanna Russo, Justin Bruening - Universal/Not Rated/Fantasy/801 minutes.

The remake of the 1982 TV show starring David Hasselhoff fails to update anything beyond current fashion trends. The show's talking robo-car, KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand), is voiced by Val Kilmer -- the series's most versatile actor even when disembodied and speaking in a monotone. Due to advanced computer technology KITT is capable of wirelessly seeing everything, an ability used to guide the car's human cohorts (Russo and Bruening) on missions to bring down bad guys. Plots receive off-handed treatment in what amounts to a live-action cartoon for 8-year-olds. 4-Disc DVD features: commentary with Executive Producer Davis Bartis And Stars Justin Bruening And Deanna Russo, deleted scenes, Behind The Scenes Featurettes, Gag Reel, DD 5.1 English language tracks, widescreen.

Released in New Formats:

Transformers: Special Ed. with Movie Money, Blu-Ray (2007) Directed by Michael Bay, Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Jon Voight, John Turturro - Voices of Peter Cullen, Hugo Weaving - Dreamworks/Rated PG-13/Sci-Fi/143 minutes.

Transformer toys become shape-shifting aliens locked in an apocalyptic war. High school student Sam (LaBeouf), and galpal Mikaela (Fox), learn Sam's Camaro is an Autobot transformer assigned to protect him from evil Decepticon transformers. Eye-popping CGI depicts the destructive confrontations between the opposing sides. John Voight appears as the Secretary of Defense while John Turturro leads a squad of anti-alien agents in this coolest movie ever inspired by a kids' toy. 2-Disc Blu-Ray features: Movie Cash Coupon, director commentary, Rise of the Autobots, Featurettes: Our World (4): The Story Sparks, Human Allies, I Fight Giant Robots, Battleground, Their War (4): Autobots Roll Out, Decepticons Strike, Inside the AllSpark, Transformers Tech Inspector, More Than Meets The Eye (2): From Script to Sand: The Skorponok Desert Attack, Concepts, 6 trailers, BD-Live Easter Eggs: Michael Bay Cameo, Girl in Dress, Bay Bot, Casting Mojo, DD 5.1 or Dolby True HD 5.1 English, French or Spanish language tracks, Portuguese subtitles, widescreen.

12 Monkeys: Special Ed., Blu-ray (1995) Directed by Terry Gilliam, Starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer - Universal/Rated R/Sci-Fi/130 minutes.

Seesawing between bizarre and realistic, "12 Monkeys" envisions a future mankind desecrated by plague. Bruce Willis portrays time-travelling Cole, sent to 1997 - by barely human scientists - to prevent the plague's original outbreak. Once at his destination, Cole kidnaps a psychologist (Stowe) unable to accept Cole's time-travelling explanation. Marvelously offbeat, one wonders how "12 Monkeys" managed to escape from the studio zoo. Blu-Ray features: commentary Director Terry Gilliam and Producer Charles Roven, Featurettes: The Hamster Factor & Other Tales of 12 Monkeys, 12 Monkeys Archives, Trailer, BD Live: Basic Download Center, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English or DTS 5.1 SS Spanish language tracks, widescreen.